curb

noun

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\ ˈkərb

Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a bit that exerts severe pressure on a horse's jaws also : the chain or strap attached to it — see bit illustration

2 : an enclosing frame, border, or edging

3 : check, restraint a price curb government policies that are designed to put a curb on spending

4 : a raised edge or margin to strengthen or confine

5 : an edging (as of concrete) built along a street to form part of a gutter They sat on the curb eating their ice cream.

6 [from the fact that it originally transacted its business on the street] : a market for trading in securities not listed on a stock exchange

curb

verb

curbed; curbing; curbs

Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to furnish with a curb

2 : to check or control with or as if with a curb trying to curb her curiosity

3 : to lead (a dog) to a suitable place (such as a gutter) for defecation

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about curb

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Choose the Right Synonym for curb

Verb

restrain, check, curb, bridle mean to hold back from or control in doing something. restrain suggests holding back by force or persuasion from acting or from going to extremes. restrained themselves from laughing check implies restraining or impeding a progress, activity, or impetus. trying to check government spending curb suggests an abrupt or drastic checking. learn to curb your appetite bridle implies keeping under control by subduing or holding in. bridle an impulse to throw the book down

Examples of curb in a Sentence

Noun We sat on the curb eating our ice cream. these international regulations act as a curb on the plundering of a nation's archaeological treasures Verb The legislation is intended to curb price and wage increases. pills designed to curb your appetite

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Police responded to a call at 5:53 p.m. Dec. 22 about a driver who had been seen striking a center curb median several times. — Brian Lisik, cleveland, "Driver caught with weapons, drugs during traffic stop: Independence Police Blotter," 4 Jan. 2021 Trees may also be picked up through the city’s Brush and Bulky Item Collection (BABIC) program by calling 972-744-4111 and then setting the tree at your front curb for collection. — Teri Webster, Dallas News, "Where to recycle your Christmas tree in Richardson after the holidays," 22 Dec. 2020 Craig Lally, president of the Los Angeles Police Protective League, accused the council earlier this month of laying off hundreds of police officer to fund curb cuts, landscaping and other initiatives. — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, "Garcetti vetoes plan to use reallocated LAPD money for disadvantaged communities," 22 Dec. 2020 And the Detroit Lions got curb-stomped by the Tennessee Titans, 46-25, in their worst defensive performance of the season. — Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press, "Here is how the Detroit Lions still can get a top-five pick in 2021 NFL draft," 22 Dec. 2020 Having devoted curb space also saves operators time. — Prajwal Kotamraju, Fortune, "A solution for cash-strapped cities is right at the curb," 18 Dec. 2020 Farming groups, long hostile to policies that curb emissions, are seeking a spot at the table, rather than be on the menu, as Biden eyes deep greenhouse gas cuts across the economy. — Josh Siegel, Washington Examiner, "Daily on Energy, presented by API: The latest on the clean energy deal," 15 Dec. 2020 Protesters are calling for the monarch to be accountable to the constitution, a curb on the King's powers, and demanding transparency over his finances. — Helen Regan And Kocha Olarn, CNN, "Thai protest leaders report to police on charges of insulting the monarchy, as authorities' tolerance wears out," 30 Nov. 2020 So take away the one loss for Clemson (double overtime at Notre Dame), Florida (3 points at Texas A&M) and Texas A&M (curb stomped by clear No. 1 Alabama). — Nathan Baird, cleveland, "AP Top 25 poll: Where is Ohio State football on Nathan Baird’s ballot? College rankings," 29 Nov. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb No sooner had the House of Commons approved the deal and sent it to the House of Lords, which ratified it later in the day, than attention swung back to the increasingly desperate attempts to curb the virus. — New York Times, "Brexit, Lockdown and a Vaccine: A Head-Spinning Day of Change in U.K.," 30 Dec. 2020 More states and localities have ordered restaurants to close their dining rooms again to curb the virus’s spread, with New York City among the latest to suspend indoor service earlier this month. — Julie Wernau, WSJ, "Restaurant Safety Net Frays as Covid-19 Pandemic Progresses to Winter," 21 Dec. 2020 From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. — Arkansas Online, "1 in 5 prisoners in the U.S. has had covid-19, 1,700 have died," 18 Dec. 2020 From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. — The Associated Press, NOLA.com, "1 in 5 prisoners in U.S. has had coronavirus, an infection rate 4x higher than general population," 18 Dec. 2020 From the earliest days of the pandemic, public health experts called for widespread prison releases as the best way to curb virus spread behind bars. — CBS News, "One in five inmates in the U.S. has had COVID-19 and over 1,700 have died," 18 Dec. 2020 The show is scheduled for June 5-13, but organizers are worried there is no definitive timetable for the widespread availability of a vaccine to curb the virus, which has seen recent spikes in the city. — From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, "First shots, keeping cool, 21 Club: News from around our 50 states," 16 Dec. 2020 With coronavirus hospitalizations surging in California and healthcare providers increasingly under strain, officials are eyeing a return to the kind of stay-at-home restrictions that helped curb the virus’ spread in the spring. — Los Angeles Times, "California pioneered the COVID-19 stay-at-home lockdown. Now, it faces a backlash," 3 Dec. 2020 More than 97,000 businesses have permanently closed over the course of the pandemic as states and counties issued public health orders to lock down storefronts to curb the fast-moving virus, according to estimates from Yelp. — NBC News, "Retailers big and small look to Biden administration for relief," 19 Nov. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'curb.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

17 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Curb.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/curb. Accessed 27 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for curb

curb

noun

English Language Learners Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

: a short border along the edge of a street that is usually made of stone or concrete

: something that controls or limits something else

curb

verb

English Language Learners Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

: to control or limit (something)

See the full definition for curb in the English Language Learners Dictionary

curb

noun

\ ˈkərb

Kids Definition of curb

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : an enclosing border (as of stone or concrete) often along the edge of a street

2 : check entry 1 sense 2 a curb on rising prices

curb

verb

curbed; curbing

Kids Definition of curb (Entry 2 of 2)

: to control or limit curb spending This will curb your appetite.

curb

noun

\ ˈkərb

Medical Definition of curb

: a swelling on the back of the hind leg of a horse just behind the lowest part of the hock joint that is due to strain or rupture of the ligament and generally causes lameness

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